The Facts
On Thursday, Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani visited the survivors and families of the victims of a deadly wedding fire that left over 100 dead and 150 injured in Nineveh's mostly Christian Hamdaniya area on Tuesday.
An Iraqi Health Ministry official said the death toll is likely to rise because some of the injured are in critical condition, with funerals held on Wednesday and continuing on Thursday as investigators identify the victims.
The Spin
Narrative A
The Iraqi government is responsible for the high death toll of this tragic fire. It knew about the lack of safe infrastructure and adequate rescue equipment but did nothing to fix the situation. Corruption and mismanagement are rife in the area, and several similar high-casualty incidents have happened in recent years.
Narrative B
The owners of the wedding venue should be held accountable for their negligence. There was a lack of fire extinguishers and safety measures inside the building, which was covered in highly flammable materials. Those who set off the fireworks should also be met with repercussions. The government is doing all it can.
